Mega Man X (series)

Mega Man X (stylized as Megaman X after X4 ), known in Japan as Rockman X (ロックマンX Rokkuman X), is a series of action platform video games released by Capcom. The series is a continuation of the preceding original series, Mega Man, and the first sub-series within the Mega Man franchise.

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Capcom developed the original Mega Man X game to give a new image to the franchise. The Mega Man X series was the first spin-off based on the original Mega Man series. The sub-series is also perhaps the closest series to the original in terms of characters and gameplay, featuring some characters from the original series such as Dr. Light. Many enemies from the classic series also make appearances here, albeit mostly in new forms.

The series is set in the 22nd century, almost one-hundred years after the events of the first Mega Man series. The story revolves around X, the final and ultimate creation of Dr. Thomas Light, who is discovered by world-renowned archaeologist Dr. Cain and used to create an advanced race of robots known as "Reploids" (called so because they are literally replicas based on the design of X). However, not long after their creation, some of the Reploids begin to go "Maverick" and attack humans. Because of this, Dr. Cain is asked by the council to put a stop to this, and as such, forms a special unit to stop these "Mavericks" known as the "Maverick Hunters". However, the leader of the Hunters and Dr. Cain's creation, Sigma, goes Maverick himself, taking many of the Hunters with him. Thus, the "Maverick Wars" begin to take shape.

Mega Man X plays similarly to its predecessor series Mega Man, but with various new features: X has, by default beginning with X2, the ability to dash along the ground at any time (which is very similar to the original slide move from the original, but with better accurate controlling), cling to walls and Wall Jump, and dash and jump at the same time, increasing his speed in the air. This all gives X more mobility than his classic counterpart; these modifications make it easier to go through the majority of the game without using any other gun than the default, which is different from previous Mega Man games where players were more inclined to rely on weapons won in previous fights (like Metal Man's infamous Metal Blades) against boss characters in previously conquered stages.
X is also able to locate capsules that permanently upgrade a part of his armor, such as his helmet, boots, chestplate, or arm cannon. An upgrade common to each game is the ability for X to charge weapons earned from bosses, which gives them an enhanced secondary fire mode. In later games, there are multiple armor types available that can either be mixed and matched, or completed for additional armor set bonuses.

In X3, Zero (the leader of the Maverick Hunters in the first Mega Man X) is a playable character from the beginning, he is armed with a beam saber in addition to the traditional "buster" gun, but relies on his saber almost exclusively starting in X4. In X5, both X and Zero gained the ability to duck; an ability previously unavailable. In X6, there is a new rescue system where the player must rescue reploids. In X7, a new character known as Axl is introduced, playable alongside X and Zero. Axl utilizes two guns known as Axl Bullets. In X8, the latest entry in the franchise, a new Double Attack feature is introduced, where two characters can attack at the same time.
Mavericks replace the Robot Masters, and Sigma replaces Dr. Wily. The stage boss Mavericks are based on various types of organisms (usually animals) instead of being humanoid in appearance, as were most of the bosses in the classic series, although their attacks and names are usually based on mechanical or chemical phenomena or laws of physics like the original games. The exception to this usually applies to the main group of antagonists in each game, which are normally humanoid in appearance. Repliforce is an example of humanlike antagonists, who appear in Mega Man X4.